Columbia County

The Columbia County Sheriff's Office primary service response area consists of the unincorporated areas of Columbia County (those area within Columbia County that are outside city limits). Columbia County totals approximately 797 square miles. This service area is subdivided into specific geographic areas of directed patrol and investigative responsibility composed of four divisions and two districts.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division is considered to be the backbone of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office as it is not only the largest division within the Sheriff’s Office, but it is also the most visible. The Division is comprised of multiple shifts broken into Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta. In addition it maintains the School Resource Deputies, Courthouse Operations to include Bailiff, Transportation, and Civil Process service. Additionally, within the Division there are several specialized teams serving in the capacities of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Dive, Marine, Negotiations, Training and K-9.

The responsibility of this unit is to maintain a safe and orderly environment for citizens and visitors in all areas of Columbia County. When assistance is requested from the Sheriff’s Office, the first deputy responding will most likely be a member of the Patrol Division. These deputies are in constant contact with the public and answer a variety of calls.

Commanded by a Captain and two Lieutenants, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division is made up of uniformed patrol deputies who provide law enforcement services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. These deputies are encompassed within five zones of the county and assigned to two Districts. District One is made up of Columbia County north of County Road 240 and District Two is everything south of CR 240.

Patrol deputies handle a varied range of calls from noise complaints to homicides. For this reason, these deputies must have in-depth knowledge of the law and must be well versed law enforcement officers.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division is comprised of multiple units that assist local, state and federal government agencies by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating criminal intelligence information throughout the state and nation to support criminal investigations. The Divisions units are broken down into the following investigative teams: Crime Scene, Sex Crimes, Fraud, Homicide, Property, and our Sex Offender Unit. Additionally within the Division there are several special investigative units that conduct investigations in the following areas: Multi Jurisdictional Task Force, Warrants, and Special Investigations.

In addition to these duties CID is responsible for the administrative support of the Sheriff’s Office through Evidence, Property Room, Records, and Victim Services.

Detectives are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on a rotational basis, to respond to emergency investigative needs but are normally available Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 to provide assistance when needed.

It is the responsibility of the Administration Division to perform the many tasks that keep the daily routines of the Sheriff’s Office functioning efficiently and effectively. The Administration Division has several departments within the Division that are necessary in order to maintain a fluent and seamless operational work flow within the organization. These departments include Finance, Human Resources, Purchasing, Supply and Computer Systems Administration.

As with any organization reporting is a major function, and the Sheriff’s Office is no different. The Sheriff’s Office produces reports and documents associated with each department within the Division. Payroll must be handled every two weeks, accounts must be balanced and monies tracked. Human Resources keeps track of qualifications of new applicants and training requirements of current appointees. The Grants Coordinator compiles data for grant application submission and renewal. The Purchasing and Supply section ensures that all necessary and needed equipment is available. The Computer Systems Administrator maintains the computers for the agency and assists in evaluation of new technology, along with maintaining the agency website.

The Columbia County Detention Facility is located at 389 NW Quinten Street and it is one of the largest divisions within the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. It is responsible for booking and detention of all arrested persons in the county, including those arrested by law enforcement agencies as well as the Sheriff’s deputies. The Division Commander is a Captain and has overall responsibility for the operation of the detention Facility. The Division has several departments within it that are necessary to perform the daily functions necessary to maintain the care, custody, and control of the inmate population. These departments are broken up as follows: Corrections, Medical, Booking, Classification, Administration, and Warrants. The Columbia County Detention Facility will serve the public safety interests of Columbia County effectively, efficiently and professionally.